Mission Opportunities

Loaves and Fishes Café

Every third Sunday of the month UUMC offers a free hot lunch to feed the hungry in our area, including UMD students. Please see the bulletin board in the hallway to sign up to VOLUNTEER to set up, to serve, to clean up, to COOK, tobring side dishes, salads, dessert or bread, or to SUPPLY napkins or sandwich fixings so that our guests can pack a second meal to take with them. Doors will open at 12:30pm and dinner will be served from 1-2pm. Questions? Contact Ellen Brown (ellenmlb@juno.com), Susan Howley (howleyfam1@verizon.net), or Sarah Wakefield (sarahwakefield@hotmail.com).

Africa University – WE DID IT!!

We have exceeded our goal of $2,700 with $2734.11 donated (half of the cost for a student to attend Africa University, a fully accredited United Methodist-related educational institution located in Zimbabwe and established by the General Conference of the United Methodist Church) to assist one student at Africa University who is trying to get an education not only to better himself/herself, but his/her community. Thank you for your generosity. It is a testament to our mission of uniting knowledge and faith to make disciples of Christ for the transformation of the world.

Safe Haven

January 3-10

Safe Haven provides a shelter for homeless men in our area during the winter months. UUMC is one of many churches throughout Greenbelt, College Park, Hyattsville, and Beltsville hosting the men for a week each. Cots and pillows are provided by the program and follow the men from church to church. Each church provides other needed linens as well as food for the week.

Each night, we provide a hot dinner to our guests as well as the volunteers, for a total of 14 – 19 people.

The routine: Hot food and other items should be dropped off between 6:00 pm and 6:45 pm at the church for that night’s meal. Food can also be brought in the night before (any time before 10 pm) with warming instructions for the next day. Food should not be too spicy.

To volunteer, see the sign-up sheet on the board.

Check-in workers

We need two people to sit at a table by the door, to take the admittance slips of the participants and be on hand to answer questions or find someone with an answer.

The routine: Volunteers are stationed at a desk by the church door from 6:00 – 10:00 pm to check in the men as they arrive. The men will show a signed form showing they are program participants. Volunteers will be able to get dinner, and can chat with each other or the guests. Some people bring reading material for the slow times.

To volunteer, see the sign-up sheet on the board.

Dinner servers/cleanup crew

We need two people to help serve the evening meal and clean up afterwards.

The routine: Volunteers should arrive by 6:30 pm in order to receive food brought by volunteer cooks. They are responsible for setting out the food and drinks, plates, silverware, etc. Dinner is served at 7:00 pm. If some men are known to arrive late because of work schedules, volunteers will save a plate of food for them, covered, in the kitchen. Volunteers are encouraged to eat with our guests. The guests are given an opportunity to pack a lunch for the next day, so volunteers bring out the lunch items after dinner. Volunteers also wash dishes, etc. This shift usually ends by 8:30.

To volunteer, see the signup sheet on the board.

We also need donations, including:

one more blanket or comforter in good condition

toiletries

magazines

paperbacks

money for breakfast groceries and

money for bus fare to be added to SMART cards

Providing bus fare helps the men to get around to apply for jobs, make appointments regarding benefits and services, and reconnect with friends and family in the area. This is especially important as the program draws to a close for the year, later in March.

In addition, we appreciate the loan of DVDs suitable for a male audience in a church setting. Questions? Contact Susan Howley at howleyfam1@verizon.net or (301) 937-7202 or talk to Ellen Brown, Sarah Wakefield, or Craig Lasher.

Help the Help-by-Phone Food Bank

We can “make a difference” in our community by continuing to support the work of Help by Phone, Ltd. Pantries still look for your food donations from the following list. Our eight food pantries, open five days a week, continue to meet needs of large numbers of people who simply do not have enough food on any given day. You have made it possible for this ministry to continue and we are grateful. All foods must be canned or dried and in sealed containers to meet health department requirements. Please confirm that the expiration dates have not passed. Donations can be placed in the wooden box in the narthex.

grits

pancake mix & syrup

baby food

beef stew

pudding & jello

dry milk

coffee & tea

cocoa

cold cereals

macaroni & cheese

rice

peanut butter

jelly

tuna

pork and beans

pasta

canned fruits & veggies

pasta sauce

oatmeal

soups

Advent Mission Opportunities

(1)Buck Lodge Middle School Positive Behavior Rewards

In an effort to encourage positive behavior, students can earn “positive behavior bucks” to spend at the school store. We will be receiving monetary donations to buy items that the students can receive for good behavior, along with providing scarfs and gloves. Monetary donations can be placed in an offering envelope marked Buck Lodge through January 3rd.

(2)Mission Trip Support

Our intern, Sarah Elliott, will be going on a school immersion/mission trip December 28 - January 12. She will be traveling as part of a group of 14 students from Wesley Theological Seminary to South Africa. The group will immerse themselves in the culture and do mission work during their two-week stay. Let us support Sarah with our prayers, as well as financial assistance. The cost of the trip is $5800. If you would like to make a contribution, please make donations payable to UUMC and place them in the offering plate in an envelope marked "WTS Mission Trip." We will be collecting donations throughDecember 13th.

(3)Toys for Tots

The Nursery School is seeking donations of new, unwrapped toys that will go to the Toys for Tots campaign. Toys may be dropped off in the box in the church entryway through Sunday, December 13th.